Featured Move: Pilates: V-Up Medicine Ball Pulse (Pliates)
Featured Product: Smart Medicine Ball
Incorporating Pilates moves into your routine can make for an effective cross-training workout. It’s a great way to bust through a plateau, strengthen your core, increase your flexibility, and prevent injuries.
What the experts say:
Try
a V-Up Pulse or a Full Range V-Up with a Medicine Ball Hold for some killer
mid-section work.
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STEP 1:
Start by sitting on the floor and lift your legs off the ground while you hold the medicine ball over your knees. Brace your core, straighten your back, pull your shoulders down and away from your ears, and balance on your sit bones.
STEP 2
Ease your upper body back while maintaining your spinal alignment. Hold the medicine ball still as you move your feet up and down in a pulse. In a pulse, the range is approximately 3 inches.
Step 3: (Optional) Include a full range V-Up set into the work by easing your upper body back a little more while at the same time lowering your feet toward the floor. Allow your feet to hover just above the floor. Maintain stillness in the upper body while holding the medicine ball over the knees. Pay attention to your back in this move; only lower as far as your body will allow without pain.
Step 4:
While maintaining the stillness in the upper body, and keeping the medicine ball in a hold, bring your feet back up, creating a “V” with your body. Repeat.
SELF-GUIDED FITNESS
The SMART Medicine Ball:
The Smart Medicine Balls are a functional fitness staple. The weighted center forces the user to use different muscle groups to throw, bounce or twist with the ball.
8 exercises are printed on each ball for easy reference. They also feature a textured surface for a reliable grip and made of sturdy rubber.
Four weights and sizes available:
4lb yellow, 6lb orange, 8lb green, 10lb blue, and 15lb purple
